Former Wisconsin player passes away at 24
The university revealed a former player passed away on Tuesday.
The Wisconsin Badgers community learned of some sad news on Tuesday night, as the school posted that former tight end Jack Pugh had passed away. He was 24. Our thoughts are with Jack’s family during this difficult time.
pic. twitter. com/nvMTNoAMiQ — Wisconsin Football (@BadgerFootball) April 1, 2026 “The Wisconsin Athletics family is deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Jack Pugh,” the school wrote.
“Jack was a positive light and brought a genuine spirit to our football program. More than that, he cared about people and was loved by his teammates and staff. Jack proudly earned his degree from UW-Madison in 2025 and will forever be remembered and loved.
” Pugh, a native of Columbus, Ohio, arrived in Wisconsin as a four-star tight end recruit in the Class of 2021. After redshirting his freshman season, he played in one game as a redshirt freshman in 2022, while also earning All-Big Ten Academic honors. He decided to medically retire in December of 2023, citing mental health reasons as well as his physical health, as he stepped away from the game of football.